Myanmar is run by the Constitution drafted in 2008 which gives the military 25% of the seat in the lower house(Congress) and Upper House(Senate) without being elected. The army chief who is equivalent of Director General/Civil servant in UK/US can appoint them those military members of parliament. In addition, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing can conduct his own military affairs and able to prosecute or pardon any soldiers who committed the war crimes/ crimes against humanity.
This is open secret in Myanmar and everyone knows this wicked constitution. The civilian government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi tried to change the constitution recently but failed due to the military veto.
At the ICJ, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi pointed out that Myanmar government will try to punish those who committed the war crimes. However, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing wants to become President and he thinks he can pull it through via the election. He underestimated the electorates. Initially, he used the divide and rule between NLD and ethnic groups. He funded via his military intelligent units to those who want to oppose the government including the notorious monk Wirathu. This monk was on the run and was hidden by the military intelligent. The aim is to seed the hatred and weaken the civilian government. However, that is impossible because most people hate the junta and wants to keep them out of politics. In addition, NLD achieved better coverage for electricity and transport compared to the previous military government. They managed to balance the budget as well and economy was doing well up to COVID crisis. In addition, unemployment rate fall under the civilian government. The junta took nearly 54 years to give the electricity to 34% of the country from 1962 to 2016. However, NLD took only four years to increase the coverage to 54% (i.e 20% up from 2016). Senior General also used religion, ethnic conflicts to his favour as well. One meeting noted by people inside Myanmar(Burma) was his meeting with Arakan National Party(ANP) members before he sent troops to Rakhine state where his army is accused of war crimes. Whether he collaborated with ANP members or not will determine his crime at the ICC.
In Myanmar (Burma), there are people who are affiliated with Senior General are giving hate speech based on religion and ethnicity. In Europe, they will be jailed because of hate speech and discriminatory acts. In Myanmar(Burma), that is done by the military intelligent unit set up inside his headquarter. In addition, for those who committed crimes are not arrested by police because the army is immune from the civilian law according to their 2008 constitution. Although Facebook global team removed Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and some military affiliated accounts, hate speech account are not removed by Myanmar Facebook team because Myanmar Facebook watch team leader is also from the military. Myanmar Facebook watch team removed the accounts which are critical of military as hate speech.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing is now committing another crime by interfering in the general election. Why? The reason is very clear. He and his supporters know that they are going to lose the election. No one can stop Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from winning a landslide victory. He tried to order his army to support the USDP party formed by the military. In spite of that, he is still unsure whether his army will vote for him. The moral is very low inside the army except the top generals.
As a result of impending doom, he released a statement condemning the Union Election Commission and the government he is supposed to serve and protect. Can you imagine what will happen if the army chief in UK/US/Russia/China/ North Korea releases that kind of statement. Even in North Korea, its army chief won’t dare to issue such statement.
He may try to stage a coup if his party fails in the election. Myanmar people will need your help to oppose the coup like the Libyans did in Benghazi. We will need your air support such as no fly zone over Yangon. People will overthrow the military once and for all. I am certain that there are many soldiers and police officers who will side with the elected civilian government and fight back the coup army led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. All we need is your help from US, UK, China and France. If China can tell Min Aung Hlaing about the consequences, he will think twice. He is afraid of China than any other countries as China is very close to Myanmar(Burma). I don’t think that China won’t want US army near its border. Therefore, the best way for China is to warn Senior General don’t do any misadventure.
If China fails to warn Senior General and fails to side with us, we will have no choice as a legitimate government and the elected government of Myanmar will call US, UK and France for airstrike against targets in Naypyidaw to protect the civilians under the responsibility to protect act because we will be tortured by Senior General who is already under investigation from ICC.
The world needs to act to stop Senior General Min Aung Hlaing from committing more crimes and we need your support.